October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a prime opportunity for IT leaders to shine a spotlight on one of the most pressing challenges of the digital age: safeguarding data.
However, promoting cybersecurity awareness can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. Attitudes towards IT and security are often (unfortunately) negative: security practices are perceived as blockers, employees fear finger pointing in the instance that they do something wrong, awareness training can overwhelm and even bore people… the list goes on.
So this month, rather than simply setting out to raise awareness of security best practice, the objective should be to change attitudes in the long term; to rebrand security and engage employees positively with best practices. After all, your people are your greatest asset when it comes to data protection.
Here are five strategies to help you make the most of Cybersecurity Awareness Month and beyond.
1. Gamify the learning experience
Who doesn’t love a touch of competition? One of the most effective ways to engage employees is by making learning fun. Gamification transforms otherwise dry material into interactive and rewarding experiences, motivating employees to participate actively. You could consider quizzes, simulated phishing attacks, or even scavenger hunts. It’s time to get creative - and competitive.
2. Integrate security into the everyday
Planning activities for Cybersecurity Awareness month is great, but raising awareness of risk shouldn’t be isolated to one month a year. It should be woven into the fabric of your work culture and embedded into daily workflows.
Enhancing existing software with in-the-moment advice and nudges around how to send sensitive data securely will not only empower employees to avoid making mistakes, but will also encourage a security mindset in the long term.
Consider appointing cybersecurity champions from different departments who can act as liaisons. These ambassadors can promote best practices within their teams and provide guidance when necessary. By giving employees ownership of cybersecurity efforts, it becomes a shared responsibility, not just an IT concern.
3. Be practical
Hands-on experience is one of the best ways to ensure employees retain cybersecurity knowledge. Instead of theoretical lessons, such as cloud based training or video tutorials, focus on providing practical support. Again, embedding nudging or in the moment guidance into workflows will be far more effective than infrequent mandatory training.
In addition, there are tools available in which organizational policies can be integrated into workflows. For example, applying expiration periods for sensitive files, or automated encryption. This approach alleviates the strain on individuals to remember detailed policies and guarantees compliance.
4. Right-size your security
Communicating the when, where and how of security is important in getting people on side. In this sense, encouraging people to consider the types of information they share and how will build awareness of the security implications around every email, file and message they share.
That’s where right-sized security comes in. Right-sized security applies the appropriate level of protection based on the sensitivity of the data at hand. For instance, sensitive information shared via email should be encrypted and protected with two-factor authentication (2FA); on the other hand, non-sensitive communications can follow standard protocols.
A balanced approach streamlines workflows while maintaining strong protection where it’s most needed, reducing the risk of data breaches while avoiding security fatigue among employees caused by excessive, unnecessary precautions.
5. Tailor training to the individual
A ones-size-fits-all approach is guaranteed to see people become disillusioned by any efforts you put in place to build awareness. It’s time for a fresh approach and, fortunately, there are tools out there to do the hard work for you.
Every team and employee faces unique security risks and responsibilities. For example, IT staff may require in-depth knowledge of network security and threat detection, while HR or finance personnel must safeguard sensitive personal data. Customizing security training and tools ensures that each employee learns the most relevant skills and practices for their role, increasing engagement and retention of information. A targeted approach also empowers IT and security leaders to be more proactive in their security audits, by identifying potential vulnerabilities in a department's tools or an individual’s knowledge.
Security training should be interactive, engaging, and continuous, fostering a workplace culture that prioritizes cybersecurity all year round. The key is to seek out opportunities to embed guidance and best practice into every day workflows, without interfering with employee’s busy days. Find out how we can help.
